Dr. Fatoumata Seck of Stanford University is a literary scholar who studies African literature, including Senegalese graphic comics. As a multilinguist, she offers insights into the importance of cultural translation at a time of increasing xenophobia, and the power of satire in the face of hegemonic economic policies.

Dr. Lamia Balafrej of UCLA is an art historian specializing in the medieval Islamic period. Her work illuminates the connection between slavery and technology, which remains an important feature of the global economy today.

Dr. James Smith of York University is an engineering professor with a passion for robots and teaching. His robotic models of the human cervix and of quadrupeds teach us how biomimetic approaches to modeling can constrain our thinking, and how collaborating with students in our research can unlock new possibilities.

Dr. Uzo Anucha of York University is a shining example of the community-engaged researcher. She’s the founder of YouthREX, which mobilizes academic research for the benefit of youth workers in Toronto. Her research collaborations with local youth and youth workers are the academic equivalent of community-based activism.

Prof. Thy Phu of Western University is an English literature scholar who studies the discursive role of photographs in society. Her exhibit of family photos at the Royal Ontario Museum asks us to reconsider our assumptions about families.

Sen. Kim Pate is a legal scholar who has written extensively on the criminal justice system and Indigenous peoples. She now pursues justice reform from her position in the Senate.

Prof. Marcia Annisette studies the accounting profession from an interdisciplinary perspective. She talks about the importance of having a PhD supervisor who is excited by the same questions that you are.

Prof. Bernie Pauly studies nursing and the healthcare issues around homelessness. She talks about personal cost to nurses of the ethical dilemmas they encounter, which can stay with them for years.

Emeritus Prof. Prem Sikka is a fearless accounting scholar. He talks about what it’s like to do research where you need to consult a lawyer before publishing your work.

How does marketing shape our moral understanding of consumption?

What would it take to end youth homelessness in Canada?

Do women make better board members?

How can research challenge the ways schools talk about gender and sexuality?

How do assumptions about money and finance change what climate-economy models tell us about decarbonization?

How does speaking more than one language shape the mind?

Can corporate sustainability reporting really address ecological collapse?